Korean Job Discussion Forums

alphalfa · Joined: 12 Feb 2003

It's official. The number of GET public school positions will be cut by 50 this calendar year(2013), from @400 to about 350.

At the Incheon Foreign Training Centre (IFTC) on the airport island, the number of GETs will be reduced from 10 to 6. The Incheon Education Office wants the reduction to begin with those GETs whose contracts are near completion - March~April period. But, IFTC is not wanting the Incheon Education Office to do this as two of the GETs are experienced and liked. Instead, IFTC wants the reduction to start with GETs whose contracts are up for renewal in the June~July-> period * A GET is leaving in late Feb to go teach at a university (-1 GET, with - 3 more to come).
I am with the Incheon Education Office on this issue. No need to delay the cuts IMO - it's a budget matter. For IFTC, cutting three positions soon will affect a teacher-training program(6 months) begining sometime in middle /late March - IFTC management is concerned, it appears, with the 'suitability' of GETs who are 5-6 months into their current contracts to participate in the teacher-training program.

Ah! to be a GET in Incheon...

alphalfa

Dodge7 · Joined: 21 Oct 2011

What the heck is a GET? I never heard it before. It's probably something really common to most people here, but I have no idea what it is.

creeper1 · Joined: 30 Jan 2007

GET means Guest English Teacher.

I wouldn't worry about this. 50 positions is just a drop in the ocean. There must be tens of thousands of E-2 visas issued for the many jobs available in Korea.

A fair proportion of those would be for public school positions.

ScribeAbroad · Joined: 23 Sep 2012

May be a drop in the ocean, but for those of us still waiting on our contracts from Incheon to show up its Shocked

dairyairy · Joined: 17 May 2012 Location: South Korea

alphalfa · Joined: 12 Feb 2003

to reply to dairy~ comment

"So, as long as your job is safe you agree with cutting the jobs of others? If it was your job you wouldn't feel that way."

my reply:
My job is safe for now but I am one of three at IFTC whose one-year contracts will end in March-April i.e. on the chopping block. I'm okay with this as budget cuts should be done early in the year rather than randomly cut three positions throughout the coming months. Those who will remain will wonder if they are going to be next on the chopping block. Not good for group morale IMO.